Carl Sagan destroys creationist in debate - YouTube

Heraclitus comments on Jul 23, 2018:

The creationist asks the question, but doesn't want the answer.

Theists and believers

Heraclitus comments on Jul 23, 2018:

Sure, but be prepared to be challenged. But, I assume you must be willing to be challenged or you wouldn't be here. What most agnostics/atheists on this site object to is theists coming on this website to save us poor infidels from the eternal torturous hell of a loving God.

Matt Dillahunty - Caller propose to have creationism in science class - Atheist Experience ...

Heraclitus comments on Jul 22, 2018:

Why is it that so many people seem to have no clue what science is? :(

Dating a Theist

Heraclitus comments on Jul 22, 2018:

Does she accept you as you are? Even when I was a Christian, sometimes dating a Christian of another denomination was a problem.

If there really was a God, he'd create some better Christian rock bands.

Heraclitus comments on Jul 22, 2018:

May God is just testing our faith with those horrible rock bands. :)

Why 8 Endangered Rhinos Died in Mission to Save Them [livescience.com]

Heraclitus comments on Jul 22, 2018:

How in the world did they get fed salt water?

Supernatural VS Atheist

Heraclitus comments on Jul 22, 2018:

I've never heard a ghost story that was convincing. It always sounded like someone's imagination running away with them. BTW, trusting someone is irrelevant to whether or not a "ghost" is really a ghost. I'd be curious to hear what stories you have heard that were so convincing.

I think the most annoying thing for an introvert is to be called shy.

Heraclitus comments on Jul 22, 2018:

When I was young, I was both introverted and shy. Now I am just introverted.

What is it about the truth that we find so appealing?

Heraclitus comments on Jul 22, 2018:

I think most people only seek a pragmatic truth, that which is in their perceived best interests. If they perceive a truth as threatening, they avoid it or ignore it. Also, many if not most people come to identify with certain "truths" at a very early age and come to identify with these truths. Consequently, any threat to these truths (beliefs) is perceived as a threat to their very identity as a person, which is why they become angry or fearful. They feel lost without these truths (beliefs) and literally don't know who they are. This can be very anxiety provoking and they often take it out on others. But for me, truth is not taking refuge in a belief system, but freedom from belief systems which I consider illusory. Such personal freedom is exhilarating.

I'm an introvert and I have social anxiety, but I still like to go to parties or go out to bars and ...

Heraclitus comments on Jul 22, 2018:

I think you just need to accept yourself as you are and not fret over it so much. Once I had a woman in my face socially and I could tell she was a little miffed that I was not responding very much. So, I simply explained to her that I was an introvert and mostly just listened to people. Her attitude towards me not only changed, but she actually told me that she was an introvert too, but just forced herself to socialize to try and get past her introversion. Surprised me, I can tell you.

The Superiority Of Secular Thinking vs Religious Thinking (Suggestions for additions or refinements...

Heraclitus comments on Jul 22, 2018:

Kind of a secular 10 commandments. I like it. Better than the original. :)

Atheists, Did You Get Down on Your Knees?

Heraclitus comments on Jul 20, 2018:

To demand that someone fake sincerity concerning something that one does not believe in is to demand hypocrisy, and to preach salvation by hypocrisy.

How sure are you there isn't "gods"?

Heraclitus comments on Jul 20, 2018:

I consider myself an ignostic, because the question of the existence of God is meaningless... because the term god has no coherent and unambiguous definition. "God" is the great cosmic question mark.

Family Panics Over Atheist | Dana (Atheist) - Hernando, FL | Atheist Experience 20.48 [youtube.com]

Heraclitus comments on Jul 20, 2018:

Why are loving Christians so hateful?

Why I don't believe in the Historicity of Jesus || Frustrated Atheist Segment - Godless Engineer ...

Heraclitus comments on Jul 20, 2018:

Personally, I think that Joshua of Nazareth, an itinerant Jewish rabbi probably existed, though he was clearly later mythologized by the Christian church six ways from Sunday. The argument in the video is the much discredited Mythicist fringe group that believes in the conspiracy theory that not only Christianity, but the historical Jesus himself was made up by the Roman Flavian dynasty. The Mythicists are famous, or infamous, for arguments from silence, arguments of convenience, selective literary interpretations of documents, and the ignoring of historical criterion of evidence. They are also famous, or infamous, for misrepresenting the arguments of historicists. The so-called "historicist Aramaic criterion or whatever" was, of course, presented incorrectly, which is why it was so easy to discredit. That so-called "argument of embarrassment" was so funny I laughed. Never heard of that one before. There is a historicist book called, Did Jesus Exists by Bart D. Ehrman, that pokes a hundred holes in the Mythicist arguments. They love to ignore this book for obvious reasons.

Free will?

Heraclitus comments on Jul 20, 2018:

Ever hear the story about Tony Soprano and the Harvard professor? The Harvard professor was expressing his lifelong belief in Determinism and the absence of free will. After listening to the Harvard professor pontificate about the absence of free will for some time, Tony got up and starting slapping the professor hard across the face repeatedly shouting, "I can't help doing this because I have no free will." Within less than 30 seconds the Harvard professor changed his lifelong belief. Now, personally, I believe in Soft Determinism because our will is so restricted and so much of our consciousness, about 95%, is unconscious. The vast majority of our actions are just reactions to factors in our environment. You can lie down on a sofa, deciding in advance that you will not get up off the sofa, and chances are that in less than 30 min you will get up in spite of yourself without consciously deciding to do so. However, if I am wrong and there is really is Hard Determinism, then it really doesn't matter what I believe, or you believe, or anybody believes because none of us has any choice in what we believe. So, why even ask a question about free will? But then again, the answer is obvious. In that case, the only reason anyone asks whether or not free will exists is that they have no choice in the matter.

Well you learn something new every day

Heraclitus comments on Jul 19, 2018:

Let's see, you just used it five times in this post, so....

Hi yawl! I am new to atheism and looking for community.

Heraclitus comments on Jul 19, 2018:

There's also the Triangle Freethought Society.

Utopian or Dystopian?

Heraclitus comments on Jul 18, 2018:

" If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him." --Voltaire

Love Letters to Richard Dawkins I laugh every time I watch it. [youtu.be]

Heraclitus comments on Jul 18, 2018:

Aren't loving Christians amazing in their hatred!

We Are Now Living in a New Geologic Age, Experts Say [livescience.com]

Heraclitus comments on Jul 18, 2018:

Interesting, though I think the "Anthropocene epoch" designation more meaningful than the controversial "Meghalayan" designation based on a drought.

Pumped-up Jesus.

Heraclitus comments on Jul 18, 2018:

Where did you find this?

Inside the government.

Heraclitus comments on Jul 18, 2018:

So much for separation of Church and State. :(

“Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe.” ― H.G. Wells

Heraclitus comments on Jul 17, 2018:

We are losing the race. :(

I'm thinking that Elon Musk could build a smallish nuclear powered boring machine he could load onto...

Heraclitus comments on Jul 17, 2018:

Even if this is feasible, then what? A hole in a hill on the moon or on Mars would still be uninhabitable.

"one of them is a weirdo" We're still finding moons around Jupiter and reconstructing the ...

Heraclitus comments on Jul 17, 2018:

The so-called weirdness is a retrograde rotational orbit. BTW, six of the planets also rotate about their axis in this same direction. The exceptions—the planets with retrograde rotation—are Venus and Uranus. Venus's axial tilt is 177 degrees, which means it is spinning almost exactly in the opposite direction to its orbit.

Math [youtu.be]

Heraclitus comments on Jul 17, 2018:

I'm not convinced that the ancient Egyptians were able to measure the speed of light, but as they were astronomers, astrologers, and sun worshippers, much of this is plausible.

Trout are great up current swimmers, even when they are dead.

Heraclitus comments on Jul 16, 2018:

Very interesting, but the article, as opposed to the title, indicates that the fish wasn't actually swimming. Rather its body was flapping back and forth in the water eddies which propelled it forward: As Triantafyllou explains, “You have a flow behind the obstacle, which creates a continuous stream of eddies. Each eddy contains energy and also causes the pressure in the fluid to drop… the eddy causes the body to flap back and forth, and the fish manages to extract energy.” Since all of the energy is supplied by the vortices, it doesn’t matter at all whether the fish is alive or dead, if the timing happens to be right.

This is very interesting.

Heraclitus comments on Jul 16, 2018:

Too much speculative based on too many far-reaching assumptions for me. Ancient pyramids that were really power plants, really?

No one I know who actually believes in the bible has actually read it beyond the popular verses and ...

Heraclitus comments on Jul 16, 2018:

Yes, I agree. Reading the bible cover to cover is what first shook my faith.

First Plague Water turned into Blood 2 Plague The Frogs 3 Plague The Gnats 4 Plague The Flies 5 ...

Heraclitus comments on Jul 15, 2018:

Ya gotta admire the Pharaoh's stubborn foolishness...uh, I mean courage, in holding out to the bitter end. But, then again if God hardened his heart then I guess ol' Pharoah didn't have must of a choice, did he?

Egyptologist, Anthropologist, Acheologist, Historians, did Egypt and South America have contact?

Heraclitus comments on Jul 15, 2018:

Seems to be a "definite maybe", but still somewhat controversial: http://www.faculty.ucr.edu/~legneref/ethnic/mummy.htm

Were any of you on this site during the last solar eclipse in the US?

Heraclitus comments on Jul 15, 2018:

Saw a 93% partial solar eclipse. Not at all like a 100% eclipse, I know, but it was still quite memorable as the sky darkened slightly. Sorry, no pics.

I was watching the Athiest Experience and Matt was talking about in the bible that if a man rapes a ...

Heraclitus comments on Jul 15, 2018:

Deuteronomy 22: 28-29 NIV: 28 If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, 29 he shall pay her father fifty shekels[a] of silver. He must marry the young woman, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives. Deuteronomy 22: 28-29 KJV: 28 If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; 29 Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days. To be fair, there is some dispute over the correct translation of the Hebrew word תָּפַשׂ (tāpas): https://cbmw.org/topics/sex/did-old-testament-law-force-a-woman-to-marry-her-rapist

Is there only one kind of truth; only one kind of reality?

Heraclitus comments on Jul 14, 2018:

Physics and orders of reality: We may define First Order Reality as what we directly observe and experience. Second order Reality consists of the fundamental entities and causes of First Order Reality. Physics informs us of this Second Order Reality. But these entities and causes such as they are recognized are functions of our own sensors and analyzers. Therefore, we may imagine a Third Order Reality of which Second Order Reality is only a reflection. It may well be that there are Fourth and still Higher Order Realities which are for ever beyond even our conceptual perception. At the other end, we may consider a Zeroth Order Reality consisting of the pure creations of the human Mind which are powerful factors in human culture and interaction. All our mythology and poetry, fiction and even some history, and other creations of the human imagination, as well such abstract elements as justice and equality, freedom and honor, belong to Zeroth Order Reality. https://people.rit.edu/vvrsps/Essays/Essay%2012.htm

Is there only one kind of truth; only one kind of reality?

Heraclitus comments on Jul 14, 2018:

Here is a Vedanta Hindu argument for different orders of reality: http://www.nevernotpresent.com/satsangs/understanding-the-orders-of-reality/

I think there's factual criticism for both sides of every policy issue.

Heraclitus comments on Jul 14, 2018:

Why do you oppose gun laws that keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill?

What are the best come-backs someone pushing flat earth science?

Heraclitus comments on Jul 14, 2018:

10 ways you can tell that the earth is not flat: https://www.popsci.com/10-ways-you-can-prove-earth-is-round

My favorite latin phrases: Malum in se: something that is wrong or evil in itself (murder, rape,...

Heraclitus comments on Jul 13, 2018:

I prefer: In vino veritas, in aqua clostridium.

Trypophobia.... Fear of sunflowers. Pretty sure

Heraclitus comments on Jul 13, 2018:

Actually, it is a fear of small holes or bumps...which could include sunflowers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trypophobia

It amazes me how little people know about evolution, although it probably shouldn't since so little ...

Heraclitus comments on Jul 13, 2018:

Yes, the dumbing down of America is downright scary. The far right has gotten control of numerous state boards of education and in some cases have legislated that if evolution is taught in the classroom then creationism, or "intelligent design", must also be taught AS A SCIENCE. Consequently, many biology teachers have simply refused to teach evolution at all rather than be so dishonest. The home-schooled are rarely taught evolution either, or if they are, are taught very erroneous versions of evolution. The evolution questions asked on Quora are usually so bizarre and ignorant that experts have trouble even answering them because they have to dispel about a half dozen false assumptions first. The portent for the future life scientists of America is dismal because so many of our high school students are so unprepared for college. This is probably the main reason our graduate schools are so full of foreign students, who are so much better prepared for professional careers. BTW, I was taught creationism in religion class and had no problem with it. But, when science and religion marry, both are bastardized.

Most Christians are unaware of this

Heraclitus comments on Jul 12, 2018:

Even when I was a child I could never really understand how you could live a life of total depravity and then get deadbed forgiveness and be saved. It seemed like cheating. It seemed the same as living a life without God and then tricking him at the last minute.

A/Gnostic A/Theist. (Apologies if re-post)

Heraclitus comments on Jul 12, 2018:

Are you certain about this chart? ;)

Hello from South Florida!

Heraclitus comments on Jul 11, 2018:

Good afternoon, infidel.

What comes mind from this is hearing a preacher say he needs buy a jet and needs your help.

Heraclitus comments on Jul 10, 2018:

I'm not surprised by preachers who say they need to buy a jet and need help from their congregation. But I am amazed by how many gullible people comply with the request.

For my Introvert friends!! When I get home from some type of get together with family ,friends, ...

Heraclitus comments on Jul 10, 2018:

Used to do it 24x7. :)

Ray Comfort Interview | Atheist Experience 702 [youtube.com]

Heraclitus comments on Jul 10, 2018:

Matt has some carefully thought out arguments that undermine his opponent's "certain knowledge".

Have you ever just lost your self control when someone is babbling pseudoscientific bullshit in your...

Heraclitus comments on Jul 10, 2018:

Never lost my self-control... just maybe temporarily my faith in the sanity of the human race. He probably read something about aluminum and deodorant and got locked in on it. He never read about the studies that debunked the rumor. I've known people who thought that vitamin E was an aphrodisiac or that eating eggs was a death sentence. And of course, giving your kids vaccines will make them autistic. Oh, and the reason that we have climate change is that the earth is getting closer to the sun. (It is but it will take a few billion years.) Einstein once said, "There are two things that are infinite, the Universe and human stupidity...and I'm not too sure about the Universe." :)

I sometimes wonder how extroverts feel when they're not around people.

Heraclitus comments on Jul 10, 2018:

This "stir crazy" feeling that extroverts get when deprived of social stimulation explains a lot of behaviour I've seen...or been the victim of. :)

I can barely stand to go on Facebook anymore—so much so that family members keep asking me if ...

Heraclitus comments on Jul 9, 2018:

Avoid toxic relationships. Life's too short.

The humbling of the atheists: How religion survived the progress of science "Not so long ago, ...

Heraclitus comments on Jul 9, 2018:

Excellent point. Many of the "New Atheists" never really understood the religious except from a narrow literal viewpoint and so had limited success.

Those of you who have joined this group are very welcome to express any thoughts you may have! ...

Heraclitus comments on Jul 7, 2018:

To me, middle of the road politics means, "Make America sane again!"

Is democracy really the best form of government? | Steven Pinker, BigThink [youtube.com]

Heraclitus comments on Jul 7, 2018:

One could make an argument that we don't really live in a democracy anymore. It has become a plutocracy under a democratic guise.

The Craig Evans Interviews: "How God Became Jesus", Atheist Edge [youtube.com]

Heraclitus comments on Jul 5, 2018:

Very interesting. Craig Evans, a baptist, accepts certain divine sayings of Jesus as valid that many other scholars view as later Christian interpolations. Your conclusions will follow from your assumptions.

Will A New Neutrino Change The Standard Model?

Heraclitus comments on Jul 5, 2018:

Facinating! https://www.sciencenews.org/article/mysterious-neutrino-surplus-hints-existence-new-particles

Hi all! New to this site!!!

Heraclitus comments on Jul 5, 2018:

Welcome new member Our_existance.

‘Father of Global Warming’ Scientist Finally Admits Theory Is Wrong [yournewswire.com]

Heraclitus comments on Jul 5, 2018:

In 1988 Jim Hansen gave a presentation on global warming which included scenarios A, B, and C based on different assumptions. These assumptions primarily concerned how the human race would react, or fail to react, to the threat of climate change. Scenario A was the best case scenario, scenario B was the worst case scenario, and scenario C was a middle case scenario which, by the way, has turned out to be very accurate. Patrick Michaels of the Cato Institute gave a presentation before Congress in 1998, dishonestly presenting only scenario B, in an attempt to discredit Jim Hansen as an alarmist and failing to explain the scenario's underlying assumptions. On July 27, 2006 ABC News reported that a Colorado energy cooperative, the Intermountain Rural Electric Association, had given Patrick Michaels $100,000. An Associated Press report said that the donations had been made after Michaels had "told Western business leaders ... that he was running out of money for his analyses of other scientists' global warming research" and noted that the cooperative had a vested interest in opposing mandatory carbon dioxide caps, a situation that raised conflict of interest concerns. Michaels acknowledged on CNN that 40 percent of his funding came from the oil industry. According to Fred Pearce, fossil fuel companies have helped fund Michaels' projects, including his World Climate Report, published every year since 1994, and his "advocacy science consulting firm", New Hope Environmental Services. A 2005 article published by the Seattle Times reported that Michaels had received more than $165,000 in fuel industry funding, including money from the coal industry to publish his own climate journal. https://www.skepticalscience.com/patrick-michaels-history-getting-climate-wrong.html Also, James E. Hansen said that the climate change, or global warming, tipping point had already been reached in April 2008 when the CO2 level was 385 ppm. (Hansen states 350 ppm as the upper limit.) "Further global warming of 1°C defines a critical threshold. Beyond that, we will likely see changes that make Earth a different planet than the one we know." He has further suggested potential projections of runaway climate change on Earth, in his book Storms of My Grandchildren.

GE 2: god prefers Abel's offering and has no regard for Cain's.

Heraclitus comments on Jul 3, 2018:

Often the rationalization given for that was that Abel gave a meat offering and Cain gave a vegetable offering. But Abel was a shepherd and Cain was a farmer. Each gave the best of what they did and had. The bible never explains why God was being so snobbish towards Cain. Maybe the lesson is supposed to be that God hates vegans. ;)

It Would Take 200,000 Years at Light Speed to Cross the Milky Way [space.com]

Heraclitus comments on Jul 3, 2018:

Compared to the edge of the observable universe, about 45 billion light years, that's just across the street.

Due tomorrow

Heraclitus comments on Jul 3, 2018:

LOL

Russel, the greatest salesman the world has ever known!

Heraclitus comments on Jul 3, 2018:

Bertrand Russell's paradox.

Mr. D. Goes: Sessions Reminds Us [youtube.com]

Heraclitus comments on Jul 2, 2018:

With Sessions as a friend, God doesn't need enemies.

As Agnostics, we're used to being challenged, even vilified for questioning conventional orthodoxy.

Heraclitus comments on Jul 2, 2018:

This is sometimes referred to as the Naturalistic Fallacy. As any biologist will tell you, most plants have some toxins, and some have a lot. This is how they survived the competition of evolution. It is a matter of which, and how much, of these toxins humans can tolerate. Also, as any vegetarian will tell you, if they are not very careful to eat a very balanced plant diet, they do not feel very well. BTW, I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, twice as much as I used to, I'm just not fanatical about it.

Cain married his wife. If eve was the only woman alive, where did mrs.cain come from?

Heraclitus comments on Jul 1, 2018:

Probably Lilith, Adam's first wife https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilith

Note to self: if this were a "Christian" nation, we would be caring for the poor, sick and the ...

Heraclitus comments on Jul 1, 2018:

Most Christians are merely cultural Christians. They will tell you on one hand that the bible is the word of God, then, on the other hand, admit that they don't even bother to read it except for a few select parts that make them feel good. My real problems with Christians is that there are so few true Christians. True Christians, those that practice what they preach, are really very nice tolerant caring people but they are rarer than a blue moon.

Hey, it's been quiet in here.

Heraclitus comments on Jun 29, 2018:

Is The Food Babe A Fearmonger? Scientists Are Speaking Out https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2014/12/04/364745790/food-babe-or-fear-babe-as-activist-s-profile-grows-so-do-her-critics

How many verses are there where the Tetragrammaton tells people they need to commit genocide?

Heraclitus comments on Jun 29, 2018:

Here's another one. Hosea 13:16. The people of Samaria must bear their guilt, because they have rebelled against their God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to the ground, their pregnant women ripped open."

(Thanks to @zblaze's post in the "Academic" category) Why Cosmology's Expanding Universe ...

Heraclitus comments on Jun 29, 2018:

The cosmic expansion measurement problems are quite interesting and have been known for years, but I don't really get the hyperbole of statements like, "But on a cosmic scale, if the results from the distant Universe are incorrect, we're in a lot of hot water." What hot water? Then again, this is Forbes.

The multiverse theory states that though our universe is one of many, it’s a lucky one.

Heraclitus comments on Jun 28, 2018:

The multiuniverse theory, which is really just an hypothesis since it is untestable, is speculative enough. But when people start getting into an argument over which universe is the luckiest...whoa!

Atheist Debates - Mythicism 101 with David Fitzgerald [youtube.com]

Heraclitus comments on Jun 28, 2018:

Not one of the better Atheist debates as David Fitzgerald and Matt Dillahunty talked past each other for a frustrating 15 minutes. One of the logical inconsistencies that Fitzgerald was making, that Dillahunty wouldn't let him get away with, was a conflation of the mundane and allegorical in his premise. His conclusion was that the narrative stories were all allegorical. But with his premise containing, at least in part, the very conclusion he was reaching for, he was begging the question. The other thing that Dillahunty wouldn't let Fitzgerald get away with was the Mythicist Paul Primacy Principle which is established solely and weakly on mere chronology. This conveniently overlooks the fact that Paul only wrote letters to churches and never wrote a narrative gospel. Again the conclusion is in the premise, Paul is criticized (or used as evidence that the historical Jesus never existed) for not having written a mundane narrative of the historical Jesus... because he never wrote a narrative of Jesus. On the other hand, Fitzgerald makes an interesting argument that we have better evidence of the mundane lives of 15 other false messiahs in the 1st Century A.D. than we do of the historical Jesus. But such evidence was not given in this debate.

Gods Message to Atheists & God Saved Me From Drowning | Barbara - Indiana - Atheist Experience 22.

Heraclitus comments on Jun 26, 2018:

I love it. A true believer who thinks God is crazy.

I was talking to a fellow introvert about how both of us tend to attract people who like to talk ...

Heraclitus comments on Jun 26, 2018:

Yes, when I was younger I often attached human parasites.

Should We Take the Bible Seriously?

Heraclitus comments on Jun 26, 2018:

Another example of someone parroting beliefs that don't even make sense to them. GHTHR (God Help the Human Race).

What kind of world would you want to live in?

Heraclitus comments on Jun 26, 2018:

Talk about a loaded question. So far no one has voted that they want to be blind. And if anyone does it will probably be as a joke.

Evidence for God - Guarantees Best Ever | Brandon - Phoenix, AZ | Atheist Experience 22.

Heraclitus comments on Jun 24, 2018:

Excellent example of people believing what they want to believe to the point of circular insanity.

I'm quite certain im an introvert. I feel happy when plans are cancelled.

Heraclitus comments on Jun 24, 2018:

Q: What did one introvert say to the other introvert? A: Nothing...and then they parted.

I like to bring up Zipporah.

Heraclitus comments on Jun 23, 2018:

"24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him. 25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me. 26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision."

What activities do you find most blissful or soothing in your life?

Heraclitus comments on Jun 22, 2018:

nature walk

From a friend

Heraclitus comments on Jun 21, 2018:

All too often, when a believer says they will pray for you, what they really mean is that they will pray for you because they believe you are going to hell. BTW, I doubt they ever really pray for you. They just want to get the insult out in your presence.

Soon to be North Carolinian.

Heraclitus comments on Jun 21, 2018:

It's really a purple state with a lot of diversity. But if you're scared stick to the cities. :)

Einstein Was Right! Scientists Confirm General Relativity Works With Distant Galaxy [space.com]

Heraclitus comments on Jun 21, 2018:

An Einstein Ring is nothing new, goes back to 1998, but I suppose this is the first time it has been seen around a galaxy cluster. Will be interesting to see if it produces any "enlightenment" about dark matter. ;)

Awwww diddums ...

Heraclitus comments on Jun 21, 2018:

Frankly, I'm not sure I even get Clayton's argument. Freedom of religion (religious identity) is already so protected (overprotected) in our theocratic society by the 1st Amendment that a baker doesn't even have to bake you a cake if he doesn't approve of you.

I was once President Packer's home teacher.

Heraclitus comments on Jun 18, 2018:

I knew someone who was almost disfellowed by BKP because of an article he wrote for the New Era, although obviously the editors of the New Era, located in the LDS Church Office Building, had no problem with it.

What causes people to substitute compassion for those in their own circle with compassion for ...

Heraclitus comments on Jun 18, 2018:

People aren't always compassionate to strangers. There is a lot of ignoring of the suffering of strangers that happens all over the world every day. But, perhaps you are referring to instances in which it is simply easier to have compassion on a stranger that you identify with because you have found yourself in a similar troubling or dangerous situation. Also, you don't know the stranger enough to have anything against them, whereas "familiarity breeds contempt."

This Is The First-Ever Footage of a Star Ripped Into Shreds by a Black Hole [sciencealert.

Heraclitus comments on Jun 16, 2018:

Cool tidal disruption event.

Break free from the bonds of Earth [cnn.com]

Heraclitus comments on Jun 15, 2018:

Kehwl.

Yup, that would produce the sort of person who would believe this crapola

Heraclitus comments on Jun 15, 2018:

This is not to mention Adam's first wife Lilith, the first divorcee. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilith

Anyone had any experience with the challenges and problems of teaching evolution in schools?

Heraclitus comments on Jun 15, 2018:

I would suggest that one of the most common misconceptions of evolution is that is has a direction, that is, that natural selection pushes us towards progress or greater sophistication.

My favorite is from Mark 11:13 God hates figs!

Heraclitus comments on Jun 15, 2018:

Mark 11:13-14 New International Version (NIV) Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.”

Quotes on Academia by Boyd K.

Heraclitus comments on Jun 14, 2018:

Wow! I am speechless. Sounds like he was renouncing Joseph Smith himself. How did he get away with it?

Moon Mystery Solved! Apollo Astronauts Caused Odd Lunar Warming ...

Heraclitus comments on Jun 14, 2018:

Odd story of how to mess up your own measurements. :)

I'm getting to the point where I don't want to ask someone I haven't seen for a while how they've ...

Heraclitus comments on Jun 14, 2018:

How about people on social media who post pictures of what they had for lunch?

Is our Democracy dead?

Heraclitus comments on Jun 13, 2018:

Anyone seen the latest cover of Time? KING ME. It has Trump looking in the mirror and in the mirror is King Trump. Article: "Visions of Absolute Power."

Hello to all, I just joined this group. How are all my fellow heathens to night?

Heraclitus comments on Jun 12, 2018:

Greetings. So why did you join this group? Any story to tell?

Count of Monte Cristo word 5 Vomitorium: 1.

Heraclitus comments on Jun 12, 2018:

Interesting link. Thanks.

Did Jesus even exist?

Heraclitus comments on Jun 12, 2018:

Saw an interesting talk by three Mythicists, Robert Price, Richard Carrier, and David Fitzgerald on the topic "Did Jesus Exist?" Very interesting. Robert Price admitted that the historical Jesus may have existed. Richard Carrier stated that we can't extract "truth" from the Gospels. However, this is a philosophical argument (his training is as a philosopher) and not a historical argument. He is improperly imposing a philosophical judgment upon history. Historians don't even go there. David Fitzgerald said Mysticists love Ehrman because he agrees with them so much and makes their arguments for them such as in his book Forged. He also said that the only difference that Mysticists have with Ehrman is that they take their conclusion a little further than he does. Carrier then agreed and said that Mysticists are only a couple of tweeks away from Erhman. This is exactly correct! The only major difference between Ehrman and the fringe group the Mysticists (they refer to themselves a fringe group in this talk) is that Ehrman, out of scholarly honesty, refuses to leap to the illogical conclusion that the historical man Jesus never existed. Hurray for honesty! Without professional honesty we simply become what we despise...just on the opposite end of the spectrum.

Good morning skeptics! What's on your mind today?

Heraclitus comments on Jun 12, 2018:

I'm skeptical about the NK talks. POTUS gave away our right to hold military exercises in Korea with nothing in return. What's the point of having troops in Korea if they are not battle ready?

What would a party with all introverts be like if they knew it was a only introverts and no ...

Heraclitus comments on Jun 11, 2018:

I'd probably like it. I like to talk. I just don't like to make mindless small talk. I am comfortable with silence and don't like people who aren't because they will say anything to fill the void.

Do you think Introverts on average do or do not like egotists, braggers etc.

Heraclitus comments on Jun 11, 2018:

I certainly don't but you don't have to be an introvert to not like egoists or braggarts. In fact, in a way, it is easier to tolerate them if you an introvert because you simply have no desire to engage with them or give them any attention. Whereas an extrovert, or even more so a fellow egoist/braggart, is far more likely to engage and clash with them. It can be like two rams colliding. Hmm....what POTUS does this remind me of? ;)

How many verses are there where the Tetragrammaton tells people they need to commit genocide?

Heraclitus comments on Jun 10, 2018:

Here's another one: Deuteronomy 20:16-17 However, in the cities of the nations the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. Completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the Lord your God has commanded you.